Automatic safety gate



'- Jan. 29, 1929.

H. P. WALTER ET AL AUTOMATIC SAFETY GATE Filed June 8, -1921 2 yShee'cs-Shee'r. 1

Jan. 29, 1929. 1,700,424

H. P. WALTER ET AL AUTOMATIC SAFETY GATE FledJune 8, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan.

d' UNITED STATES PATET QFFICE.

HORACE I?. WALTER AND KAR L L. HULLSICK, OF NOR-FOLK, VIRGINIA.

AUTOMATIC SAFETY GATE.

Application led .T une S,

The present invention relates to automatic gates such as are used to guard railroad crossings and the like. Objects of the above a certain p invention are to provide a character which will open the exertion of pressure redetermined amount upon certain mechanism connected therewith, will remain open while the said pressure is being exerted and will close automatically when the said pressure is relieved.

Further objects are simplicity of construction, durability,

cheapness of manufacture,

and positiveness of operation.

A further ob]ect is to provide a. const-ruction of the above character in which the roadway will be enti rely unobstructed by the mechanism of the device when the gate is pen.

A still further object is'tlie provision of an enclosing pocket gate slides when for opening and the gate into which the by which the slide mechanism of the gate is protected.

Still further objects and advantages the invention will appear specification and to be limited except as we sha1 In the drawing ing a part of this for from the following claims and we do notl wish 'n the scope of our invention l be limited by said claims. s accompanying and formspecification,

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation kshowing' the position of the gate mechanism when the are closed.

gates Fig. 2 is similar to Fig. 1 showing the position of the mechanism when the gates are open.

Fig.

3 is a section `on line 3-3 of Fig. 1,

showing details of construction.

Fig. li is a plan view of the invention showing the hin ging of the platforms together.

vFig. 5

is a section on line 5-5 showing the same reference same parts throughouttlie drawings,

Referring to the drawings in detail, the

numerals designating the 10 designates a roadway7 11 are posts located at either side 'of consists of pai-all nested at their upper end the roadway. Each post el spaced members 11a conby a cap 12. Spaced from and in alignment with posts 11 are other posts 13 one on each side of the roadway,

These posts also 4comprise spaced parallel membefslaand are spaced from .the posts tially the same length so that each 1927. Serial N0. 197,321.

ends are members 15 comprising pocketed housings for the gates, the pivotal means bcing of any suitable character as pins 14 and the said members lying between the members 13:I of the posts 13. The other end of each of the members 15 are designed to lie between the members 11L of posts 11. The pocketed members are comprised of top and bottom rails 16 and 17 connected at their ends by end members 18 and 18a the former constituting spaced members 18D and 18C and intermediately of their ends by brace members 19 and 2O arranged in pairs and spaced apart a distance equal to the space between the members 18h and 18C. The top members 16 are in the form of enclosures having strips or flanges 21 constituting slideways extending inwardly toward each other from the side walls, but spaced apart centrally of the pocket-s a sufficient distance to form a slot eidending longitudinally of the pockets to accommodate the upper portions of gates 22 which are slidably mounted in the pockets and are provided on either side with rollers 29 in coaxial opposition to .each other and are so positioned as to roll upon the flanges 21 as trac-ks and to so support the gates within the pockets as to facilitate their sliding thereinto. The top and bottom portions pocketrespectively at the forward and rear thereof at 163L and 1729, the former lying between the members 11n and the latter between members 13:

The gates 22 consist of top and bottom` rails 23 and 24 secured together at their ends by vertical members 25 and 26 and intermediate oftheir ends by ii'iemliiers 2f?. rlhe for vard half of the gates are provided with cross members 28 forming an obstruction to animals wheny the gates are closed. The gates and their receiving pockets (are of substair gate may be totally received within its pocket when the gates are open leaving thevroadway entirely unobstructed for the passage of vehicles. The approach to the gates consists of platforms 30 one on each side of the gates hinged to suitable abutments in the roadway at points spaced from the gateway as at 31. The platforinsare normally inclined from their pivotalends upwardly toward ,the gaies when the gates are closedand are heldin this position by the weight of the gates and poel;-

ets to which they are connected as will hereinafter appear.

The platforms 30 are connected at their adjacent ends by a hinge construction 32 consisting of a rod 33 extending beyond both sides of the plat-forms and to which straps 34" are pivotally secured. Other straps 34 are secured to the platforms 30 and are pivoted at 34 to the straps 34h as shown in lligs. 3 and 5. The straps are arranged in pairs, one .strap of each pair being connected to each platform. By this construction both platforms will be depressed simultaneously when a vehicle or the like moves onto either platform. il. movable cover plate 35 is provided which covers at all time the space between the platforms and serves to protect the hinge construction from the elements and at the same time preserves the continuity of the roadway.

The ends of the pocketed members l5 adjacent the roadway are connected with the platforms by means of chains 36 secured to the ends of the rod 33 which project beyond the sides of the platforms, the chains being trained over pulleys 37 secured between the upper ends of the members ll of posts ll.

Suitable counterbalanc-e weights 33 may be secured to the adjacent ends of the platforms to counterbalance the weight of the gates and pockets and a bumper 39 may be placedbeneath the rod 33 to break any shocl due to heavy or sudden load placed on the platforms.

The operation of the device is as follows:

`When the approach platforms are unincumbered by vehicles or the like, the gates 22 will remain closed as shown in Fig. l, but upon a vehicle or the like being` driven onto either' of the platforms, the same will be depressed carrying the shaft or rod downward and elevating the forward ends of the gate pockets l5, whereupon the gates 22 slide rearwardly int-o the pockets leaving an unobstructed roadway. At the saine time the platform on the other side of the gate is depressed due to the hinged connection with the one upon which the load is located. When on the other hand the load is removed from the platforms, the weight of the gates and pockets will draw the adjacent end of the platforms upward to their original and normal position. The pockets will incline forwardly toward the roadway and the gates will .slide to closed position.

lt should be noted that the arrangement is such that the pockets incline downwardly toward each other when the platforms are free of load, a condition which insures the gates contacting with each other and closing the roadway completely and rearwardly downward when there is a load on the platform; the inclination in either case being such as to insure the ready movement of the gates to the desired position. It will also be borne in mind that the length of the gates is such that only half of the frame work thereof ever i distance from lea ves the pockets which construction insures positiveness of operatic-n and makes for strength when the gates are closed.

Having described the invention what is claimed is:

l. A device of the character described consisting of a platform pivoted at one end, a pocleted member pivoted at one end, a gate slidable in said pocket, means connecting thev free end of the pocleted members to the free end of the platform .so that when the free end of the platform is depressed the free end of the pocket will be tilted upwardly, substai'ltial portion of the gate remaining all times within trie pocket. v

2. ln a device of the character described, a gateway having posts at either side, pulleys mounted on the upper ends of said posts, other posts in alignment with the first named posts and spaced therefrom a distance equal to the distance between the first named posts, poclreted members pivoted at one end respectively to each of said second named posts, platforms forming approaches to said gateway pivoted in the roadway at their ends distant from said gateway, chains passing over said pulleys and connecting the ends of the pocket-ed members and of said platforms at. jacent the gateway, gates slidable in the pockets, the length of each gate being equal to the length of its respective pocket, the arrangement being such that one half ofthe length ofthe gates remain at all times in their respective pockets.

3. A device of the character described, consisting of a pair of platforms adapted to pivot at one end to a roadway, the adjacent ends of said platforms being pivoted together, posts on both sides of the roadway at the ends of the platforms adjacent each other, pulleys at the upper ends of said posts, means connected to said platform and passing over said pulleys, pivoted means having pockets therein, slideways in said pockets, said pivoted means being attached to the means passing over the pulleys and gates having means slidable in said slideways, said gates being totally receivable in said pockets.

ll. A guard for railway crossings or the like comprising a pair ofV posts, one on each side of the roadway, other posts in alignment with said first named posts and spaced a the rst named posts a distance equal to the distance between the lirst named posts, poclreted members pivoted to the sedond named posts, pulleys at the upper ends of the first named posts, platforms hinged to each other adjacent said rst named posts and to the roadwayV at their opposite ends, chains passing over the pulleys and connecting the ends of the platforms and pocketed nflmembers adjacent the first named posts and Y gates slidable in said pockets. 5.r A device of the character described consisting of a platform pivotedat oneend, a

poclre'ted member pivoted at one end, a gate slidable in said pocket, said poclreted member being of dimensions to receive the entire length of the gate therein, means connecting the free end of said pocketed member to the free end of the platform so that when the free end of the platform is depressed the free end of the poclreted member will be tilted upwardly, a substantial portion of the gate remaining at all times in said pocket.

6. A guard for road crossings comprising parallel posts located on each side of the roadway crossing the road to be guarded, posts spaced from the parallel posts a distance substantially equal to the width of the road and having spaced parallel portions, frames having pockets formed therein, said frames having one end pivoted between said parallel portions and their adjacent ends lying bctween the parallel posts, gates slidable in said pockets, and means operable from the roadway for tilting the adjacent ends of the said frames up and down to cause the sliding of the gates therein.

7. A guard for road crossings comprising parallel posts located at the sides of the crossing road, posts spaced from the pairs of posts in the same plane therewith and a distance therefrom substantially equal to the width of the said road, members pivoted at one end to said last named posts and having free ends lying between the parallel posts, said members having pockets therein, gates slidable in said pockets and totally receivable therein, half of the gates remaining at all times in their respective pockets, means for tilting the pivoted members from the crossing roadway.

8. A guard for road crossings includingr pocket-ed members arranged in a plane at right angles to and transversely of the crossing roadway, said pocketed members being pivoted to supports at a distance from the roadway equal to the width of the roadway and having their free ends adjacent said crossing sides of the roadway, slideways in the pockets of said members, gates totally receivable in said pockets and having rollers tl'iereonadapted to ride on said slideways, a

portion of each gate being slidable from its pocket across the roadway and substantially half of each gate remaining at all times in its pocket, and means for tilting said poclreted members to cause the sliding of said gates.

9. A safety gate for crossings consisting of a poclreted gate receiving member pivoted at one end, a gate slidably received in said pocket, the dimensions of said pocket being such as to receive the entire gate therein and means for tilting thefree end of said member.

l0. A safety guard for road crossings comprising pocketed members extending in a plane transversely of the crossing road and pivoted at one end, gates slidable in said pockets and adapted to extend from said pockets parc way across said road and to abut each other when so extended, and means for tilting said members to cause said gates to slide therein.

ll. A safety guard for road crossings comprising pocketed members extending transversely of the crossing road and pivoted at one end, gates slidable in said pockets and adapted to be projected therefrom each part way across said roadway and abutting each other when so projected to close the roadway, said gates being totally receivable within said pockets, and substantially half of each gate remaining at all times in its respective pocket.

12. in automatic safety gate for crossingsy comprising a pair of platforms having their opposite ends pivotally mounted in a roadway, the adjacent ends of said platforms having` straps thereon pivotally connected to a transverse rod, a cover plate bridging the adjacent ends of said platforms and slidable relative to both of said platforms and gate members adapted to move across said roadway, and means associating said platforms with said gate members so that the gates will be moved across the roadway under the influence of the movement of said platforms.

In testimony whereof we atlix our signatures.

HORACE l?. WALTER. KARL L. HULLSICK. 

